Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-02-17
Execution by the Sword in Siam.

Preparations were made by inserting
in the ground three bamboo crosses about
two feet in length, to VIII ch the arms Of
the doomed men were to be tied, they
sitting on the ground, and three poles
about six feet long upon which were to
be placed the heads of the criminals, says
Colonel Jacob Child, writing from Siam
to the Richmond (Mo.) C0nsercatOr.
This done the crowd was driven back
The doicful so.ni OF a gong beating at
short intervals, the sudden hush of the
crowd told that the prisoners were ap-
preaching, and in the ntre of squad
of soldiers and policemen they entered
the place that had been reserved, about
thirty feet square. The soldiers and po-
lice formed in square as a means of
keeping the spectators blck. A Siamese
'nobleman examined the crosses to see
that everything was ready; the Judges
of the court were in attendance, escorted
by attendants bearing swords in red vel
vet sheaths. The prisoners. three in
number (the King, who is very hui
name, having commuted the sentence
of fourteen to imprisonment for life
on his birthday, seemed perfectly
cool and collected. They had each
long bamboo pole, some six feet in
length. on their neclxs, in the front of
VIII was an oval piece of wood through
which their hands were placed, with
chains on their necks and legs. In a
short time the yolzcs and chains on their
necks were taken OFF, and, as the ground
was wet and muddy by the trampling of
the crowd, large banana leaves were
placed on the ground AID they were or.
dered to squat down on them; then they
were fastened to the crosses. the flowers
and sticks were stuck up n the sround
in front of them. the sticks lighted, and
for a few minutes the victims of the law
prayed mot feryently in silence, they
having been engaged in prayer at the
wat about four hours previous to being
brought to the place of execution. This
over. mud was inserted in their ears so
that they could not hear the ex.cutioners
when tn y approached and were in
structed to lean forward and keep their
eyes rivited on the flowers and burning
sticks. While waiting the coming of the
cxecutioncr tre hief of the band of rob-
bers smoked cigarette, and it was only
by the heaving of his chest thit one
could detect any emotion. All OF sud
den the crowd parted, three execution
ers, dressed in red and gold fringe on
their clothes, glide1 through the open
irg, dancing as they came, saluted with
their shining swords and on reaching
the prisoners the bright steel flashed
in the air, You heard thud, the
head fell to one side hanging by
piece of skin, and thu law was
avenged. With another salute the exc
cutioners disappeared then a man with
a sharp knife severed the heads and stuck
them on the poles, hideous sight, then
coolly chopped the hands of the dead
men off so as to get the irons that were
solidly riveted on, and the bodies were
left on the ground for the vultures to
eat or their friends TO steal and give burial
after nightfall. The heads were taken
off simultaneously, SO quick that could
scarcely realize it, and it seems to me
that death was instantaneous, save that
the heads showed spasmodic action. the
eyes and mouth opening and shutting,
which lasted for some time after being on
.he poles.
The crowd in attendance was most or
derly-not n drunken man to be seen,
and entire silence prevailed-and when
the execution was over left the grounds
without the least confusion, and there
could not have been less than thousand
present. The prisoners were old offend
ers one Of them was informed, having
been implicated in fifteen robberics aud
several murders. He was the chief. but
had slipped through the meshes of the
law repeatedly by the use OF money; the
others were younger men, and one o.
worthy parentage, but his money did not
save him, as an example was needed to
put stop to oailawry. and it has 4 done
50, for the robberies have ceased and the
band is broken up.